


Be My Companion, A Sequel

by paperduck



Series: Be My Companion [2]
Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005), E.R.
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-11
Updated: 2013-11-24
Packaged: 2018-01-01 05:12:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 7,346
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1040748
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/paperduck/pseuds/paperduck
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>As usual these days she wasn’t focused on her surroundings but kept inside her head. Until she felt the uncomfortable sensation of being watched. She looked around, but nobody seemed to pay any attention to her.<br/>Elizabeth shrugged and walked on, blaming the heat for slowly cooking her brain to mush.<br/>Then she walked past someone and for a short moment she felt she knew this person.<br/>But when she looked around, and he had turned as well to look at her over his shoulder, she did not recognize him. Not even as she kept thinking about it. She was even rather certain that this man hadn’t been a patient though; she saw so many people each day that it was hard to memorize faces and even harder to recall names if she remembered a particular face in the crowd. Maybe he lived around here and she’d seen him on her way to work some time.<br/>And there it was again, the prickling sensation in her neck, suggesting her mind that someone watched her. Uneasily she turned around to find the strange guy had stopped halfway across the bridge and watched her.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A New Face

**Author's Note:**

> The is a sequel to my other work, "Be My Companion", it it not stricly neccessary to read it before this one, there will be some references, but this story can be read without the other. (though of course I'd be happy if you read both.)
> 
> Chapter one will be out of any chronologic order, afterwards the chapters will be in order from the Doctor’s (Tenth) point of view. I figured if he was going to meet Elizabeth again, he wouldn’t care to check if he was showing up in the right order for her. He’d just selfishly pop in whenever and wherever he seemed fitting or rather whenever accidentally happened. So this makes it set somewhere between Doctor Who seasons four and five and at various points during ER seasons five to ten.
> 
> This will be rated “M” overall, but it’s basically only for the last chapter, the rest will be “T” rated for slightly darker themes. If you are familiar with the ER storyline, which I assume you are, there will be no surprises concerning that. I might have to warn you that I was not exactly happy with Corday’s character development, so my version of her might say a few things you could disagree with if you loved her exactly the way she was written. I am open for discussion about that :)
> 
> Besides, there’s not going to be an overall story-line here, just concentrating on the interaction between the two characters – the Doctor and Elizabeth Corday – which leads me to this:  
> Don’t own either series; I just borrowed the characters to have some fun with them.

Chapter one (set after ER season ten)

Elizabeth walked over the bridge near Country General Hospital. It was a hot day in mid-August and she kept praying for a bit of a breeze as she wiped her brow with the back of her hand.  
She was almost glad to be spending the next long hours at work where at least the air conditioning would be working, contrary to her home at the moment.  
As usual these days she wasn’t focused on her surroundings but kept inside her head. Until she felt the uncomfortable sensation of being watched. She looked around, but nobody seemed to pay any attention to her.  
Elizabeth shrugged and walked on, blaming the heat for slowly cooking her brain to mush.  
Then she walked past someone and for a short moment she felt she knew this person.  
But when she looked around, and he had turned as well to look at her over his shoulder, she did not recognize him. Not even as she kept thinking about it. She was even rather certain that this man hadn’t been a patient though; she saw so many people each day that it was hard to memorize faces and even harder to recall names if she remembered a particular face in the crowd. Maybe he lived around here and she’d seen him on her way to work some time.  
And there it was again, the prickling sensation in her neck, suggesting her mind that someone watched her. Uneasily she turned around to find the strange guy had stopped halfway across the bridge and watched her.  
Shaking her head Elizabeth turned around and walked a bit faster.

About one week later she sat on a bench next to a playground.  
She was waiting for the babysitter to take over Ella so she could go to work. But since it were school holidays she had decided to take Ella out into the park for a moment so they could enjoy the sun before it got too hot instead of waiting at home.  
Fondly Elizabeth watched her daughter play on the swings with another little girl. They seemed to be talking and laughing in that strange language only children seemed to understand, encouraging each other to swing higher.  
“The little one’s having fun, I see.”  
Elizabeth smiled at the babysitter, Anna, who had sat down next to her.  
“Good morning, and thank you for agreeing to the change of plans,” Elizabeth told her.  
“Never mind, would have come here anyway. And a good morning to you, too. Who’s that?” Anna pointed at Ella who was now talking to a man that sat on the swing next to her.  
“I don’t know,” alarmed Elizabeth got up and walked over to the swings. As she came closer she recognized the guy from the bridge some days earlier.  
When he saw her coming over he got up and greeted her.  
“Hello Elizabeth,” he smiled at her.  
She stopped, surprised. So, did she actually know him – maybe a father of one of the kids in Ella’s class? – or was this the moment to freak out?  
She looked at him a little closer, his hair fell over his eyes and he pushed it a back impatiently. He was wearing a tweed jacket and a bowtie, his face looked rather too young to be father to an elementary school kid, though. But even as she couldn’t recall his face she felt she knew him.  
Her gaze caught his eyes and she gasped.  
They were different now, but the spark of recognition went off anyway. Those eyes, though not at all the same, told a story she knew. And after all she had rather intense memories of loosing herself in their depts.  
“Doctor,” her voice wasn’t more than a whisper.  
And even though she felt it was him, he looked nothing like she recalled him. And how should that be possible? But, on the other hand, it was the Doctor, why would it be impossible?  
“Stop thinking for a moment, Elizabeth, and say hello,” he smirked.  
Uncertain if she should hug him or shake his hand or just say ‘hello’ since he looked like a complete stranger Elizabeth hesitated.  
The Doctor made the decision for her and pulled her into a warm embrace and kissed her cheek.  
She felt her face heat up; and only partly with embarrassment. “Hello,” she finally managed to say and gave him a smile.  
In the meantime Anna had come over as well.  
“Oh, this is Anna, Ella’s babysitter.” Elizabeth introduced her.  
“Nice to meet you,” the Doctor bowed his head to her.  
Anna nodded at him.  
“And I really need to go now,” Elizabeth said after checking her watch. “Walk with me?” she asked the Doctor.  
“Sure.”

So Elizabeth crouched down in front of her daughter, hugged her and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Be a good girl, see you tomorrow,” she smiled.  
Ella nodded and Elizabeth got up and ruffled her hair before she said goodbye to Anna.

After walking a few meters Elizabeth stopped and looked at the Doctor. She cupped his cheek with one palm and asked, “Care to explain?”  
“Regeneration,” he simply said, “happens now and then.”  
“So, are you still the same?” she asked, resuming her way.  
He followed. “Yes and no. My knowledge and my memories, everything’s there, but I am a different person now.”  
She shrugged. “So, why did you come?”  
“I don’t know.”  
For a moment they both kept silent.  
“Have you come to say goodbye?” Elizabeth asked.  
“No,” the Doctor said without hesitation.  
They arrived at the hospital’s back entrance.  
“So, are you going to drop by again some time?” she asked, after waving at Abby who stared at her from her place next to the doors.  
The Doctor shook his head. “I don’t think so.”  
“But you’re not saying goodbye…?” Elizabeth wondered.  
“No,” he grinned at her.

An ambulance drove down the driveway and Elizabeth saw Abby throw away her cigarette. Suddenly the whole place was busy with people rushing around and sounds filling the air.  
“Looks like I better get inside,” Elizabeth observed.  
“Yes.”  
“Thank you for… visiting,” she smiled at him insecurely. It felt odd, him being there, being familiar and strange at the same time. Him saying goodbye by refusing to say goodbye, how was she supposed to react to him?  
“Doctor Corday! We need you inside. Now!”  
She turned towards the voice and called back, “Coming!”  
“You better go,” the Doctor told her when she looked back at him.  
“So, uhm…” she began walking backwards. “Thank you,” she said before she turned and ran inside.  
She reappeared a second later, calling at him from the door. “Doctor?”  
He looked back at her.  
“Did you find her?”  
The Doctor could not help but smile gently. “Yes!”  
Elizabeth grinned, nodded and vanished behind the sliding doors once more.


	2. A Strange Visitor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He followed her gaze. “Tell me about it.”  
> “I will be getting married.”  
> “You don’t sound as excited as I expected,” the Doctor observed.  
> “Oh, I am excited. It’s just…” her fingers fumbled with the empty sandwich wrapping.

Chapter two (set at the beginning of ER season seven) 

“Dr. Corday, there’s a visitor for you.”  
Elizabeth looked up from her files. “Who is it?”  
“He didn’t tell. But he refused to go without having seen you.”  
Feeling a little annoyed Elizabeth nodded at the nurse, “Alright then. Tell him I‘ll be down shortly.” 

After having finished the file she had been working on Elizabeth got up, called the elevator and soon stood at the reception desk.  
“Chuny?” she addressed the woman behind the counter, “I was told there’s someone waiting for me?”  
“Yes, outside, strange guy, very cheery.”  
With a raised eyebrow Elizabeth turned, saying “thanks” and walked away.

“Hi!” the Doctor called.  
Instantly Elizabeth’s face lit up and she mirrored his grin, “Nice to see you!”  
She almost jumped at him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders in an excited embrace. She clung to him for a few seconds before she stepped back and cleared her throat a little embarrassed at her attack.  
“Do you have a moment?” he asked with an amused grin.  
“Sure, I can go on lunch break, wanna go to the park?”

“It has been a while,” Elizabeth smiled and sat down on a bench in the park, pulling her scarf a little tighter around her neck before unwrapping the sandwich she had bought on the way.  
The Doctor merely shrugged as he sat down next to her, “For me too.”  
“Did you find somebody to keep you company?” she asked between two bites.  
“Nah. Sometimes it’s easier to have no responsibility for someone else…”  
Elizabeth looked at him with her brows furrowed. She was about to tell him that in his case it might be better if he had but he prevented it.  
“So, what have you been up to? You seem a lot happier than last time we met,” he distracted her.  
“Yeah, few things happened,” she couldn’t keep the grin off her face and involuntarily her gaze dropped to her hand and to the ring sparkling in the autumn sun’s light.  
He followed her gaze. “Tell me about it.”  
“I will be getting married.”  
“You don’t sound as excited as I expected,” the Doctor observed.  
“Oh, I am excited. It’s just…” her fingers fumbled with the empty sandwich wrapping.  
He placed one hand over hers to still them. “You can tell me.”  
“It’s a man from the hospital where I work, Mark, and I have known him from the first day on that I started to work there. And I really do love him, I do. I just never expected to fall in love with him. It took a while before I even realized he was... well, before I started thinking about him as someone I would consider dating. He’s not…”  
She looked at the Doctor, who just waited for her to continue.  
“He’s kind and he cares for me and we’re having a lot of fun together and he loves me and rationally I probably shouldn’t feel like there’s something missing. Sorry, this must be so boring for you to listen to.”  
He smiled, bumping her shoulder with his. “No, go on, finish what you started.”  
“Well, I always wanted to have great career, be successful, prove that a woman can be as good as any man in that job. But… of course I want to have a family as well. And I do want to be married to him. But I am afraid that sooner or later I will have to choose between those two things and I don’t think I am ready to do that just yet. And I am afraid he will be disappointed if his plans and mine don’t look the same.”   
“Oh, you…”  
Elizabeth looked at him questioningly.  
“You humans! You can never enjoy the moment, always thinking about the next. Ruining perfect moments by thinking about the next.”  
“Sorry,” she blushed a little.  
“But I love your race anyway. You are adorable…”  
“Like stupid little pets that you can watch for your entertainment always knowing what they’re going to do, and laughing when they blindly run into mistakes…”  
“No. No, believe me. You’re often very good at surprising me.”  
They shared a smile.  
“So, Elizabeth, why don’t you just allow yourself to be happy and start worrying about being unhappy when there actually is something to worry about?”  
She shrugged, “Sounds so reasonable.”  
“Yeah, and coming from me…”  
Elizabeth laughed. “Thank you, Doctor, I will try to...” she broke off.  
He looked at her for a long moment before saying “I really want you to be happy, Elizabeth.”  
She felt tears well up in her eyes. He sounded so sincerely concerned for her. And it brought her right back to one thought she had not shared with him. The fact that Mark, as lovely and as loving as he was, wasn’t exciting. Could never sweep her off her feet and drop her on an alien planet and she couldn’t even blame him for not trying.  
“I’m afraid I have to get back to work,” she said, knowing it was the cowardly thing to do, running away.  
“Yes, yes of course.”

He accompanied her back to the hospital. The topic was changed and Elizabeth listened as the Doctor talked about his latest encounters with alien races and his spectacular adventures.  
Having reached the entrance they embraced once more oblivious to the person standing behind one of the windows on the first floor looking down at them curiously.  
“Sure I can’t snatch you away for another tour?” the Doctor winked at her.  
“Sorry, not today,” she laughed.  
Before Elizabeth entered through the sliding doors she turned once more and called, “Doctor! Just don’t keep me waiting for you so long again!”


	3. The Angry Woman

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Doctor could feel the anger radiate from Elizabeth in waves. There was an underlying sadness as well but the anger was dominating. It seemed to have taken over all of her emotions.  
> She clutched the coffee cup between her fingers hard enough that he feared the paper cup would give in any moment. And her mouth was pressed into one tight line.

Chapter three (set between ER season eight and nine)

The Doctor could feel the anger radiate from Elizabeth in waves. There was an underlying sadness as well but the anger was dominating. It seemed to have taken over all of her emotions.  
She clutched the coffee cup between her fingers hard enough that he feared the paper cup would give in any moment. And her mouth was pressed into one tight line.  
Who was he though to judge her getting angry at things fate thrust at her? But it pained him. He wanted to see her happy. And damn it, but he would not stand by and watch her become bitter about life.  
“You should have told me. You should have warned me! At least given a hint that it would all happen so very fast!” Elizabeth accused the Doctor.  
“How could I…” he began but broke off.  
She glared at him.  
“We’ve met between…” he paused, “I see.”

They didn’t speak for a while.  
“This is not how it works, Elizabeth. I can’t tell you what’s going to happen. It would do more damage than help you…” the Doctor explained softly.  
Elizabeth pressed her lips together so hard that they were completely drained of colour.  
He knew she understood his argument but wasn’t ready to give in just yet.  
“All right. Tell me. Scream, shout, punch me if it makes you feel better.”  
She sighed suddenly and all the tension left her body. Her head sank to her chest and she dropped the coffee cup. She was ignoring the fact that the dark liquid seeped into the hard earth next to her boot.  
“I am sick of being angry. I am sick of being sad. I am sick of people who don’t know how to act around me anymore. I am sick of feeling numb. I am sick of not feeling numb enough. I hate to cry over him and I hate not being able to cry over him anymore sometimes. I want to be happy. But then I feel bad for enjoying some moments, like a beautiful sunrise or simply a cup of tea. And other times I hate that I can’t feel happy enough, when I know I should be…” her voice was monotonous.   
The Doctor listened. He had no idea what had happed to her since the last time he had seen her and she was not yet providing enough information for him to form a picture.  
Suddenly Elizabeth slipped closer on the bench and leaned her head against the Doctor’s shoulder. “And I feel lonely. It’s kind of like… they’ve all been his friends in the first place and… you have no clue what I am talking about, have you?”  
Reflexively he placed one arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer into his side. “No, I’m sorry, you might have to explain some more.”   
“When we last met, for you, what did we do?” Elizabeth asked. She prodded at the now empty coffee cup with the tip of her boot.  
“You were about to get married and worried about it.”   
He felt her swallow hard before she began and rushed everything out. “Well, we did get married. And then he got very sick but recovered and I had a child and he got a relapse and there was nothing we could do and he refused to even try so he died.”  
“I am so very sorry, Elizabeth,” the Doctor said.  
She wrapped her fingers around his arm and squeezed it.  
“Now I have to go on with my life. And believe me I want to go on. But there are so many things reminding me of him. I don’t know if I want to be reminded or… or not. Of course I don’t want to forget about him, but… how am I supposed to carry on if I think about him not being there all the time? It’s infuriating, really! I see how they look at me if I do things that remind me of him it’s like they want to say ‘get a grip on yourself’. On the other hand there’s always someone to give me a look that says ‘I knew you never really loved him’ if I try to move on.”  
“Is it important what they think?”  
Elizabeth gave a small laugh. “No, it isn’t. It never really was. But I have to work with them. And I know some of them always thought I wasn’t good enough for him, that I was taking advantage of his kind character or that I wasn’t honest and damn it but that really hurts. What do they know anyway? They didn’t even try to know me. I don’t need everybody to like me, I prefer to be respected. But… even I can’t be completely on my own here.”  
The Doctor covered her hands with his, feeling her cold fingers and the rough fabric of his own coat. “I am sure you’re not on your own. I am certain that there’s someone who might just not know how to approach you because you don’t see that person.”  
“I’ve considered leaving this place. Start fresh somewhere else,” Elizabeth stated.  
“Do you really want to leave? You could come with me.”  
She pushed away from his shoulders. “You are a bad boy, always tempting me to run away with you.”  
“That’s how I am, always running away,” he grinned.  
“I am afraid I will feel worse if I run.”  
He looked at her without a word.  
“When Mark died, the last days we had, I wanted to run, all the time, every minute I wanted to run. I thought if I didn’t have to see it, it wouldn’t happen. But I knew I couldn’t do this, not to him, not to myself. I would never have forgiven myself. And so I stayed to the very end. I did love him, even then. I tried not to, thinking it would make it easier, but…” she rubbed over her face with both hands. “I can’t run. Not then, and not now. I would feel like a loser and I…”   
Elizabeth pressed her forehead against the Doctor’s neck. “I’m sorry, I can’t go with you.”  
“I know,” he stated simply, wrapping his arms around her.  
After another moment he added “But you have to promise me one thing.”  
Her voice was muffled by his collar when she asked, “What is it?”  
“When you meet me the next time, I want you to be happy. And Elizabeth,” he pushed her away so he could look into her eyes when he continued, “I will be so angry if you’re not.”  
She nodded with wide eyes.  
“Promise.”  
“How can I…” she began.  
“Promise!” he repeated insistently.  
“Yes.”


	4. A Hotel Room In Chicago

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Elizabeth had never really liked hotel rooms. She felt like a caged animal. The knowledge that this part of the misery was completely her own fault didn’t make it better.

Chapter four (set during ER season eight) 

Elizabeth had never really liked hotel rooms. She felt like a caged animal. The knowledge that this part of the misery was completely her own fault didn’t make it better.  
She could have gone home weeks ago. She could go home even now. But it would be admitting defeat if she went and she was too proud to do that. And she hated that about her sometimes.  
With a deep sigh she picked her sleeping daughter up from the bed to carry her over to the cradle. She was careful not to wake Ella after it had taken so long to get her to sleep.  
She was successful and so Elizabeth let herself drop onto her bed, closing her eyes and covering her face with her forearms. She felt exhausted and unhappy. This wasn’t anywhere near the life she had imagined for herself. Neither version. She willed herself not to cry.

A soft knock on the door woke Elizabeth up. She checked the clock on the nightstand.  
It was too early for the babysitter and too late for a casual visitor.  
She got up from the bed, checked her appearance in the mirror because she didn’t want to frighten a poor room service employee and opened the door after fluffing her curls a little and running her fingers over the skin under her eyes to remove mascara smudges.  
She almost had to bite onto her tongue not to squeal when she found the Doctor standing outside.  
“What are you doing here? How did you find me?” she asked in a loud whisper.  
He grinned, “I can always find you, if I need to.”  
“Come in,” Elizabeth stepped back into the room to allow him to follow her which he did.  
“What are you doing staying in a hotel room anyway?”  
“I’m kind of… hiding away here…” she bit her lower lip and sat down on the bed.  
“Hiding?” the Doctor asked.  
He stepped closer to the cradle and looked inside, then he turned towards Elizabeth and gave her a huge grin saying, “well done.”  
Elizabeth couldn’t help but answer his smile. “Thank you.”  
“What’s her name?”  
“Ella.”  
The Doctor sat down on an armchair next to the window. “So, who are you hiding from?”  
“My husband,” Elizabeth confessed, her head dropped forward towards her chest and her smile vanished.  
“Why would you do that?”  
“He made the wrong choice.”  
“And you can’t forgive?” the Doctor’s voice was soft. “Go on, tell me about it.”  
And Elizabeth told him what had happened with the Extasy pill and how they had fought for Ella’s life and that she couldn’t bear to be around Rachel anymore.  
“Reasonably I understand him, she is his family too, but…” Elizabeth rubbed her fingers over the skin under her eyes, “I just wanted to feel like I was important to him.”  
“You wanted to be loved above everyone else.”  
Elizabeth cried. “Did I demand too much?”  
“I’m sure he does love you.”  
Elizabeth wrapped her arms around herself. “Yes.”  
“Do you really want to be here?”  
“No. I want to be at home.”  
“Why don’t you go back to him then?” the Doctor stood up from his armchair.  
“I can’t. This situation’s stuck. And… anyway I’m not even sure he wants me to anymore.”  
For a long moment nobody spoke a word.

“Come with me, Elizabeth,” the Doctor stood at the window, looking out into the night.  
When he did not hear her decline he turned around to look at her.  
Elizabeth stood next to the cradle, looking down at her daughter. When she felt the Doctor’s gaze on her she raised her eyes to meet his.  
It was as if he could read her mind that moment, ‘I want to’ it called out, and ‘I can’t’.  
He nodded. He knew.  
“I wish I could,” she murmured. She reached into the cradle to run her fingertips softly over Ella’s cheek. “But you know I would never leave her.”  
“We would be back before she even wakes up,” the Doctor suggested.  
“Yes.” Elizabeth squared her shoulders and faced him. “But still I can’t bear to leave her. I’m sorry.”  
He smiled at her. “Don’t be.”  
She gave him small smile in return. “I hate to keep turning you down.”  
“Don’t worry,” the Doctor shook his head. “I’ll leave now but I will be back. But do something for me.”  
“What would that be?”  
“Don’t keep this up. You don’t want this. Stop wasting time.”  
The Doctor opened the door and stepped outside.  
“Waste time?” Elizabeth asked. “What do you mean?”  
Without turning he walked down the brightly lit corridor.  
“Doctor!” she called after him.


	5. A Man With His Mind Full Of Guilt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It was raining. As it had been yesterday. And the day before that. And six days last week.  
> Sighing Elizabeth rubbed one hand over her forehead.

Chapter five (set at the end of ER season seven) 

It was raining. As it had been yesterday. And the day before that. And six days last week.  
Sighing Elizabeth rubbed one hand over her forehead.  
She sat at the open window wrapped in a thick red blanket and breathed the cool wet air in deeply, her second hand balanced a mug half full with tea on her round belly. Herbal tea. She would have liked some black tea or some really strong coffee better. But of course she wasn’t giving in to the urge. At least this would be over soon. She placed one hand flat on her belly to feel her child move.  
For a long while she just stared out of the window, wishing she hadn’t promised she would stay at home. At least work had kept her from those thoughts. And hell, she was scared. More than she had ever been in her whole life.  
And she felt so helpless. All she could do was cry and pity herself when nobody was looking. If it had been only the fact that she couldn’t influence fate it would have been hard enough, but the physical helplessness that came with her pregnancy made it worse. There was no way to distract herself from the brooding thoughts when the easiest chore left her out of breath and exhausted but her mind wide awake day and night.  
Of course it wasn’t as if she didn’t want to have that baby. But if they had consciously decided to try for a baby the timing would have been different. She could have been a much better support for Mark these past months if she hadn’t been occupied with herself and these damn hormones.

A knock on her front door startled Elizabeth out of her thoughts.  
She got up from her armchair and freed herself from the blanket which was rather tedious, before she slowly made her way to the door.  
Another knock, louder this time, had Elizabeth call out an irritated “Just a moment.”  
When she finally had arrived at the door and opened it she gave a startled cry upon spotting the Doctor standing outside.  
He grinned at her and they embraced a bit awkwardly around Elizabeth’s belly.  
“What happened to you?” the Doctor asked.  
Elizabeth laughed. “It’s called pregnancy.”  
“I know! But… how, what…?”  
She raised an eyebrow at him “I’m sure you know how this works, Doctor.” She took his wrist and pulled him inside her house before she added “You haven’t seen me for a while.”  
The Doctor looked around.  
“Doesn’t compare to your TARDIS, but it’s a nice place,” she told him taking his coat by the collar and pulling it off his shoulders.  
Running his hands through his wet hair to comb it back the Doctor nodded.  
“Come,” Elizabeth motioned for him to follow her.  
She flopped down into her armchair heavily while she pointed at a second chair. He understood, pulled it over and sat next to her.

After a moment of silence the Doctor broke the ice by saying “So, I guess you’re not coming with me this time either.”  
Elizabeth laughed again. Laughing felt good.  
“As much as I’d like to…”  
“Nah, it’s okay, I understand,” he grinned. “I wouldn’t be much help with that anyway,” he pointed at her round belly.  
She looked at him for a long moment. Then she confessed “I think I have never wished to run away from everything more than I do right now.”  
He merely nodded all serious face suddenly. He remembered one of their last meetings, for him at least, for her it would still come. He had needed a moment to realize but he had understood that it was now she had been referring to. “I know you’re scared.”  
“You have no idea how much.”  
He didn’t reply right away.  
“Oh, but you do! Am I not right?” she exclaimed and stared at him with wide eyes. “I can totally read it in your face. You know what I am afraid of and you know what is going to happen!” she added.  
The Doctor turned his face towards the window. He couldn’t keep the guilty expression from crossing his face. Yes, he knew what was going to happen, that her fears were well founded and that it would happen even faster than she imagined in her worst nightmares. But he could not tell her. But he couldn’t bring himself to lie to take her fears from her either.  
“Well, seems like you don’t want to talk about it,” she stated dryly.  
“I can’t,” he took her hand, “please don’t press me for answers.”  
He spotted the mug on her window sill and handed it to her.  
Elizabeth took a sip and grimaced. The tea had gone cold and bitter.  
“Want me to make a fresh one?” the Doctor offered.  
“I thought you don’t do waiter services...?” she smiled at the memory.  
“You are the exception to that rule,” he winked at her.

They went to the kitchen together.  
Elizabeth instructed the Doctor where to find what he needed while she leaned against the counter.  
“So, do you want to tell me about it? I’m sure it’s not healthy for you and the little one if you keep all those fears bottled inside.”  
He poured water into her mug.  
“You already know what scares me.”  
He nodded his silent confirmation.  
“And the way you keep silent about it so stubbornly…” she swallowed, “and don’t give reassurance…” she felt her voice break and took a deep breath.  
Silence filled the room.

“Doctor… can you… can you distract me? Tell me about your adventures, make me laugh… make me forget for an hour or two,” Elizabeth pleaded.  
He guided her over to the couch.  
It wasn’t easy for him to cheer her up. Each happy memory he could think of was connected to one of his precious companions. Thinking of Donna, Rose or Martha or any of the other wonderful people who had accompanied him over the time felt like a dagger twisting in his guts. He had shared so many brilliant, exciting, amazing and hilarious moments with them that were gone now, that could never be brought back…  
“What’s going on in your head, Doctor?” Elizabeth cupped his cheeks with both palms so he had to face her.  
She gasped at the bottomless depth of sadness that filled his eyes. However cheerful his voice got, however wide that smile pulled his lips and bared his teeth, his eyes always stayed like that.  
The Doctor shook his head slightly.  
Elizabeth dropped her hands to his, her warm palms covering the back of his fists. He noticed he had balled his hands into fists only then and released his clenched fingers.  
“Too much. I wouldn’t know where to begin.”  
“You… every time we meet you listen to me, offer words of comfort… I… isn’t there anything I can give you in return?”  
He fixed her eyes with his. “Someday… let me take you on another trip,” he said.  
Suddenly she screwed her eyes shut, her fingers wrapped tightly around his wrists and she gave a suppressed moan protesting against the pain. It was over after a few seconds and she relaxed.  
“What? … Are you okay?” he asked.  
“Yes… yes, I’m alright,” she breathed.  
Upon his irritated look Elizabeth added, “Contractions. Happens now and then, but it is over for now.” She smiled and released his wrists, “Sorry ‘bout that.”  
“I’m fine,” the Doctor flexed his hands. He did not press her for an answer. Instead he stood.  
When Elizabeth struggled to get up as well he helped her onto her feet.  
“I think I better go.” 

The front door opened and both turned their faces towards the person entering.  
Rachel walked into the living room, looked from one to the other, snatched the TV guide from the table and while turning away announced “I’ll be in my room.”  
Elizabeth sighed. “Rachel. She’s Mark’s daughter. I think she hates me.”  
“She’ll get over it,” the Doctor assured her while they walked over to the door.  
He took his coat from the rack and they embraced for a few moments.  
When he pulled back the Doctor placed both hands on Elizabeth’s shoulders and looked into her eyes.  
“I know that you can be brave and strong. You need to be both. Promise me you will not give up.”  
Elizabeth felt the tears threatening to burst from behind her eyelids but she nodded giving him a strained smile.  
The Doctor mirrored her smile before he dropped his hands, bowed and left.  
Elizabeth looked after him until he had vanished from sight, she hugged her arms around her shoulders and shut the door with her foot.


	6. One Night Only

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Doctor shook his head with a slight smile. “Will you allow yourself to have a fulfilling life at some point in your life?”  
> “I hope so.” Elizabeth put down her mug, placing both hands on the counter next to her hips.  
> A moment of silence passed.  
> “Take me with you.”  
> Regret flashed over the Doctor’s face.

Chapter six (set somewhere during ER season ten)

“Doctor!” Elizabeth exclaimed excitedly.  
It was a rare thing that she saw him before he saw her.   
The Doctor turned towards her and his face lit up when he spied her. But even through his huge smile Elizabeth could see something was different.   
He crossed the lawn.  
“What are you doing here?” he asked.  
Elizabeth laughed. “Well, I live here. I’m sure you haven’t forgotten.”  
“No. No, of course not. What else would I do here if not visiting you?”  
“Will you come in?” though it was a mild spring night Elizabeth started to feel cold standing in her doorway in a thin dress.  
The Doctor stopped right in front of the stone steps leading up to her front door, both hands in his pockets, coat hanging open, and looked up at her. They just stared at each other for a long moment until Elizabeth shivered when a sudden cool breeze hit her.  
“I better come in before you catch a cold.”  
She grinned at him, “Yes, you better.”

While Elizabeth prepared some tea she observed the Doctor out of the corner of her eye. He had picked up one of Ella’s toys from the floor and absently turned it in his hands.  
She had always sensed the sadness he carried, had seen it in his eyes.  
“Where’s Ella?” he asked, setting the bright yellow pony down on the counter next to the sink.  
“She’s staying with a friend from school. Night shifts and everything… the little one needs her sleep. I will get her in the morning.”  
“Right. So… how’s your life, are you happy?”  
Elizabeth leaned with her back against the counter, holding her mug with both hands. “I made a promise to you. I remember,” she smiled at him.  
“And, do you keep it?”  
She considered her answer for a moment. “Well, not exuberantly but yes, I guess I’m doing good.”  
The Doctor shook his head with a slight smile. “Will you allow yourself to have a fulfilling life at some point in your life?”  
“I hope so.” Elizabeth put down her mug, placing both hands on the counter next to her hips.  
A moment of silence passed.  
“Take me with you.”  
Regret flashed over the Doctor’s face.   
“I can’t,” he held up his hand to stop her from protesting. “I know I kept on asking you to come with me. And I want you to. But this time I can’t take you with me.”  
“What’s going on?” Elizabeth stepped closer to him, one hand on his cheek.  
“I can’t tell you.”  
She raised an eyebrow, “Because I wouldn’t understand?”  
At that the Doctor smiled. “You probably would. But I don’t know what’s going to happen and it might be dangerous to have anyone travel with me right now.”  
“Dangerous?”  
“Yeah… more than it normally it. Let’s say I keep stalling an appointment I really shouldn’t and now I’ve reached a point where I can’t delay it much further.”  
The Doctor watched Elizabeth swallow.  
“You’re not trying to carefully phrase that you’re going to die, are you?” Elizabeth’s hands curled around the Doctor’s collar.  
“Nah, I’m not dying,” he replied but his voice was weak.  
“Doctor. Tell me. What is going on?”  
“I won’t die.” He sighed. “It’s not as easy as that.”  
There he stopped.   
“Not in the mood for explanations, I see,” Elizabeth said; her face sad as she turned away from him.   
“I’m sorry, I don’t mean to hurt you,” the Doctor caught her by her wrist stopping her from walking away more than a few steps.  
Slowly Elizabeth faced him, lifted her chin to look into his eyes once more. She felt her skin tingle where he still held her wrist.  
Before she could say something, Elizabeth felt the Doctor’s thumb slowly move over the delicate skin over her pulse.  
She gave a little gasp in surprise when heat washed over her skin. It had been a long time since she had felt anything along these lines. But once her body was reminded Elizabeth was unable to ignore the pull she felt towards him.  
In one smooth motion she crossed the space between them, steadied herself with her free hand on his shoulder and kissed the Doctor.  
At first he seemed surprised and for a second Elizabeth was sure he’d pull away from her but then his arm wrapped around her waist and he hugged her against his body.  
With her heart beating wildly in her chest Elizabeth opened her lips slightly and let her tongue taste his hesitantly.

“Are you sure about this?”  
The Doctor’s coat had been dropped onto the kitchen floor, his jacket lay across the backrest of an armchair accompanied by his necktie. They stood at the foot of the stairs leading up to her bedroom.  
Elizabeth looked up from her fingers that were busy opening his shirt buttons. She nodded.  
“What about you?”  
“It has been a while, but yes, I want to.”  
“I am sure you remember what goes where,” Elizabeth flirted.  
“Oh, I am certain I do know more than just that,” the Doctor pulled her against himself once more, mouth covering hers hungrily, tongue sliding along her lips and into her mouth easily.  
Her hands were trapped between their bodies so Elizabeth surrendered herself to him completely for the moment. It had been long since she had kissed anybody like that and her fast pulse made her weak in the knees.   
She pulled back a little out of breath and whispered, “I’m not sure how long my legs will keep on supporting me.” She placed a soft quick kiss to the corner of his mouth before she turned towards the stairs, “Let’s go upstairs, sex on the floor is not what I want right now.”   
“What about ‘against the wall’?” the Doctor asked with a grin.  
Elizabeth smirked at him over her shoulder, “My bedroom has walls as well, if you insist.”  
“Lead the way.”

He kicked off his shoes and followed her up the stairs and into her bedroom. They ignored the wall in favour of her large and comfortable looking bed.  
Elizabeth found herself on her back looking up at the ceiling with the Doctor kneeling above her on the bed and kissing her neck before her brain had processed they had really entered the room.  
Her arms were wrapped around the Doctor’s neck and her fingers played with his hair, slipping through the soft tresses and pulling a little. Elizabeth moaned when she felt his teeth on her skin and pulled him closer against herself.   
She tried to work her hand between their bodies when the Doctor pulled back and looked down at her.  
“Get up,” he said gently.  
She sat up, one eyebrow raised questioningly.  
“No, completely,” he added.  
Elizabeth stood next to the bed and asked, “And now?”  
The Doctor knelt on the mattress and wrapped his arms around her. “Couldn’t reach your back to unzip your dress,” he told her with a smirk.  
She laughed and let the now open dress slip from her shoulders and drop to the ground.  
The Doctor took a moment to just look at her before he raised his hands to her hips and let them slide along her sides slowly.  
Elizabeth watched him lean forward and closed her eyes when she felt his lips on her breast. She allowed a small moan to fall from her slightly parted lips.  
Encouraged the Doctor sucked on the skin above her nipple a bit harder.

Blindly Elizabeth reached out to unbutton the Doctor’s shirt. She pushed it off his shoulders impatiently when she felt his lips close around one of her nipples. Slowly she dragged her fingernails down his bare arms.  
While he freed his hands from his shirt sleeves the Doctor looked into Elizabeth’s eyes. Once free from the fabric he threw his shirt carelessly to the side.  
Elizabeth pushed him down onto his back and straddled his hips before she began to open his trousers and work them down his legs. She then ran her palms up his thighs, brushing her thumbs against the front of his pants before continuing up along his stomach and chest until she reached his shoulders. One knee on each side of his hips she bent down to kiss him.   
At first her kiss was light and teasing but when the Doctor rocked his hips up against hers Elizabeth bit lightly onto his lips in surprise. Their kisses got more heated and passionate from there; tongues sliding against each other, teeth nibbling and lips sucking on lips and skin.  
Elizabeth used one hand to keep her balance while the other slipped down the Doctor’s front, stopping to tease one nipple with her fingernails before she let her hand vanish inside his pants.

They took off the remaining articles of clothing and both gasped when they tumbled back down onto the mattress in a tight embrace, naked skin pressed against naked skin.  
“Please,” Elizabeth breathed into the Doctor’s ear and wrapped her legs loosely around his hips, rocking against him.  
He reached between their bodies teasing her with his fingers until they were damp before he positioned himself so he could ease his length into her. Elizabeth tightened the hold of her legs around him while she squeezed her eyes shut.  
The Doctor brushed the curls out of her forehead and caressed her cheek.   
“Are you alright?”  
She opened her eyes to look at him, nodding slowly before she smiled, “Fine.”  
When eventually they began to move against each other it was reverently and slowly. Their lips locked in another kiss.  
But soon their bodies were covered with a fine sheen of sweat and their movements became frantic and uncontrollable, heavy breathing punctuated with moans and gasps filling the silence.  
Shuddering they clung to each other when at last they reached the peak.  
Elizabeth pulled to Doctor against her body when she felt the muscles in his arms quivering from exertion. Both were breathing heavily. She pressed a kiss to his forehead when he rested his chin against her collarbone. Her palms ran lazily up and down his back. 

“I won’t see you again, will I?” Elizabeth asked some time later; she was curled into the Doctor’s side, head lying on his chest and fingertips painting patterns on his stomach.  
“Not like this, no. I don’t know if it will happen at all, but if it does I won’t be the same person I am now.”   
“You’re confusing me.”  
“Maybe you should get some sleep.” His hand gently stroked her bare shoulder and down her arm.  
“Will you be here when I wake up?” Elizabeth murmured pressing small quick kisses to his chest.  
He did not answer.  
“Then I don’t want to sleep.” Elizabeth pushed herself up onto her elbow. Trailing one finger down the Doctor’s chest she smiled at him.  
He caught her wrist and pressed it to his lips. “So, tell me about your plans then?”  
She sighed at the soft touch. “I don’t want to waste my breath on talking.”   
And Elizabeth bent down to capture the Doctor’s lips in a soft kiss that quickly turned more heated.

The End

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, I did think about whether or not to write about them using protection or not. I don’t think the Doctor would carry around condoms, this thought feels really weird somehow. And I don’t think Elizabeth would have a stock at home so I figured she’d probably take birth control pills anyway. He would not ask her if she did and she has no need to mention that she does, because, well she knows. So I decided to just leave the whole thing out. But I did consider it, just so you know I’m not simply forgetting. XD


End file.
